Harpsichord mechanism

ABSTRACT

A mounting for vertically adjustably supporting the keyboard and jack guide means of a harpsichord on its wrest plank. The mounting comprises supports affixed to the plank and supporting the keyboard and jack guide means to form them into an operational unit with the plank.

United States Patent [191 Schiitze Jan. 15, 1974 HARPSICHORD MECHANISM [76] lnventor: Rainer Schiitze, Muhltalstrasse 128,

Heidelberg, Germany [22] Filed: Feb. 28, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 229,838

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 15, 1971 Germany P 2l 18 322.2

[52] US. Cl. 84/258 [51] Int. Cl G10c 1/06 [58] Field of Search 84/258, 320, 216

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,462,444 7/1923 Casciotta 84/258 3,l30,624 4/l964 Taylor 84/258 3,478,630 ll/l969 Cucchiara 84/258 935,271 9/l909 Rehbock 84/258 UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 394,348 4/1924 Germany 84/320 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales Attorney-Kurt Kelman [57] ABSTRACT A mounting for vertically adjustably supporting the keyboard and jack guide means of a harpsichord on its wrest plank. The mounting comprises supports affixed to the plank and supporting the keyboard and jack guide means to form them into an operational unit with the plank.

12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 HARPSICHORD MECHANISM The present invention relates to harpsichords and like musical instruments, and more particularly to a mounting for supporting the keyboard and jack guide means of such instruments on the wrest or tuning plank thereof.

The playing mechanism of harpsichords and like musical instruments comprises a wrest plank, keyboard means, for instance two keyboards, jacks operable by the keyboard means to pluck the strings of the instrument, and upper and lower jack guide means. In known mechanisms of this type, the upper jack guide slides rest on support rods which extend transversely of the slides from the wrest plank to a bridge. These slides are longitudinally movable on the rods between limit stops to make it possible to switch between an in and an out position of the register. It has also been proposed to interconnect the upper and lower jack guide means for movement in unison.

These known arrangements have the disadvantage that they require exacting manufacturing tolerances for all parts to assure the fit of the keys to the jack guides and of the jacks to the strings, as well as the required vertical adjustment of all parts in the mechanism.

It is the primary object of this invention to overcome this disadvantage and to provide a mounting for the keyboard and the jack guide means which obviate the numerous and complex determinations of the dimensions of the several parts.

The above and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the invention with a mounting for vertically adjustably supporting the keyboard and jack guide means on the plank. The mounting comprises support means affixed to the plank and supporting the keyboard and guide means to form them into an operational unit with the plank.

According to one preferred feature of the present invention, downwardly extending support rods of preferably cylindrical configuration are mounted on the support means for vertically adjustably mounting the lower jack guide means thereon, the rods having markings or stops for the vertical adjustment of the lowerjack guide means thereon. Such markings make it possible to use the support means for different instruments without appreciably increasing the manufacturing cost if these parts are injection molded, for instance, from a synthetic resin foam.

According to another preferred feature, clamping elements, such as clips, are mounted on the support means for guiding and holding the upper jack guide slides in poisition on the support means. The clamping elements are so arranged as to enable the slides to be removed from, and assembled with, the unit.

Preferably, at least two support element are arranged side-by-side along the length of the keyboard means and are interconnected in proper alignment by a longitudinally extending strut, with the support elements ex-' tending between the axes of the jacks and the keys. The connecting strut assures the proper alignment of the guide blocks with the strings and the keys, thus obviating any special dimensioning of these parts before they are built into the unit.

It is particularly useful to make all the operative parts of the mechanism, including the support means, of a vibration damping synthetic resin which is not subject to climatic conditioning, i.e. is inert to moisture. Useful polymeric materials include hard polyurethane foams.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of one preferred embodiment of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIGS. 1 and 2 are sections of a portion of known mechanisms used in harpsichords;

FIG. 3 shows a section of amounting according to this invention, taken transversely to the keyboard;

FIG. 4 is a section of this mounting, taken parallel to the keyboard; and

FIG. 5 is a top view, partly in section, of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts operating in a like manner in all figures, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a portion of known haprsichord mechanisms.

The mechanism comprises upper jack guide slides l movable in the longitudinal direction thereof between two positions of the register, the in and out positions being fixed by limit stops cooperating with the slidable jack guide slides. Each jack slide 1 guides the associated jack 2 at upper ends thereof. The set of upper jack guide slides rests on rods 3 extending from the wrest or tuning plank 4 to bridge 5, i.e. transversely or perpendicularly to the jack guide slides. A yoke 6 is mounted over the jack guide slides to prevent their upward displacement.

The lower jack guides 7 are, as can be seen in FIG. 1, affixed to the wrest plank 4 and the bridge 5, respectively. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the upper jack guide slides and the lower jack guides are fixedly interconnected and the entire jack guide means 8 is then movable in a longitudinal direction to switch the register between the in and out positions. This guide means 8 usually rests on supports adjacent the ends of the keyboard.

The vertical movement of the jacks 2 for plucking the strings 9 is limited by jack rail 10 above the upper ends of the jacks, rails 11 and 12 delimiting the pivoting movement of the keys 13 and 14, as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Since the keyboards l3 and 14 are mounted and fixed on the soundboard, they may be assembled or disassembled simply by sliding them into or out of the instrument.

When a key is depressed by the players finger, the rear end of the key lifts the jack 2 which rests thereon, causing the plectrum 25, which is fixed to a pivotal tongue in the jack, to rise and pluck the string 9. When the key is released, the jack falls and the plectrum 25 slides silently past the string. When the jack comes to rest, a small tongue of felt automatically damps the string, i.e. stops its vibration. The jacks are guided in their vertical movement by bores in the jack guide means. When the jack guide means are moved into the in position of the register, the plectrum 25 reaches below string 9 to pluck it, while the plectrum is laterally adjacent the string in the out position of the register to pluck the string.

In accordance with the present invention, as illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 3 to 5, this known harpsichord mechanism is modified and improved by the use of a mounting which supports the keyboards 13, 14 and the jack guide means 1 and 7, this mounting comprising support means affixed to plank 4 and supporting the keyboard and jack guide means to form an operational unit of the plank, the keyboard and jack means. The support means comprises two or more support elements interconnected by a strut 18 extending over the entire length of the keyboards. This mounting has the considerable advantage of making adjustment of the various parts of the playing mechanism to each other unnecessary when the instrument is assembled.

It should also be noted that the entire playing mechanism is affixed to the massive wrest plank and is separated from the resonance housing 16 of the harpsichord. In this way and by suitably selecting the materials of the parts, the mechanism will work relatively noise-free, particularly if the materials are vibration damping and inert to moisture, such as suitable plastics. Since the playing mechanism is separated from the wooden housing 16 and the materials are substantially free of being influenced by climatic conditions, adjustments and tuning are reduced to a minimum.

The guide block 15 is best seen in FIG. 3 which is a section transverse to the wrest plank 4 and the jack guide means 1 and 7. The jack guide slides are placed on the upper edge of a thin plate which enables the guides to be individually moved into their respective in and out positions. Clips 17 or like clamping elements engage the upper jack guide slides 1 so as to hold the slides in position and to enable them to be removed. Downwardly extending support rods 19 of preferably cylindrical configuration are affixed to each support element 15, the lower jack guides 7 being vertically adjustably mounted on the rods 19. Suitable marks or stops are provided on the rods 19 to facilitate the vertical adjustment of guides 7 thereon.

The rail 20 carries mounting yoke or bracket 21 for the keyboards 13, 14 to enable the keyboards to be vertically adjusted, rail 20 being vertically adjustably supported on rods 19 extending from support elements 15 and the mounting bracket carrying the keyboards. Cams 22 on rail 20 enable bracket 21 and thus the keyboards to be laterally adjusted and thus to align the axes of the keys with the axes of the jacks respectively associated therewith. To limit the pivotal movement of the keys 13, the rear rail 12 is mounted on the support rods 19.

The support elements 15 extend between the axes of the jacks 2 in alignment with the axes of the strings 9, thus being in the region of the string plucking mechanism. Their distance depends on the static properties of the upper jack guide slides 1 and the lower jack guides 7, i.e. on theresistance moments at the slides, guides and the rail 12.

As previously noted, it is advantageous to make the support elements, the strut, if desired, the jack guides and the rail 12 of a vibration damping synthetic resin which is inert to humidity, for instance a polyurethane foam or the like.

If the lower jack guides 7 have suitable bores, they may be readily mounted on the support rods 19 of the unit. After the keyboards have been inserted, they are mounted on the support element 15 by means of rail 20 which are vertically adjustably supported on one set of rods 19'. Alternatively, rail 20 may be affixed to plank 4 or may be an integral part thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the rail 20 may extend the entire width of the keyboards for engagement with the rear ends of the keys 14 so as to limit their pivoting movement. It would also be possible to make the rear rails integral with the lower jack guides.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the mounting yoke or bracket 21 for the keyboards is carried by support rail 20 and extends above the plane of the keyboards on each side of the keyboards to be suspended on the rail 20 when the keyboards have been inserted in the mechanism.

The top view on the left side of FIG. 5 shows the wrest or tuning plank 4, the upper jack guide slides 1 and the keyboards 13 and 14, with the clips or clamping elements 17 on support elements 15 being also shown. The horizontal section at the right side of FIG. 5 shows the arrangement of the support rods 19 and the lower jack guides 7 with their bores or punch marks which make their mounting on rods 19 possible. Also shown is the arrangement of the rail 20 with associated cams 22, the lateral shifting limited by the cams being indicated by a double-headed arrow to indicate the amount by which the keyboards may be laterally shifted so that the keys may be shifted to a neighboring jack, i.e. change the tone from the tonal quality of the 18th century to that normally accepted today.

In some instances, the strut 18 is an integral part of plank 4 and the tuning pins 23 and/or the bridges 24 may then be mounted thereon.

I claim:

1. In a harpsichord or like instrument comprising a wrest plank, keyboard means, jacks operable by the keyboard means, and upper and lower jack guide means: a mounting supporting the keyboard and jack guide means on the plank, the mounting comprising support means affixed to the plank and supporting the keyboard and jack guide means to form an operational unit of the plank, keyboard and jack guide means, and means for vertically adjustably supporting the lower jack guide means on the support means.

2. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim I, wherein the vertical adjusting means comprising support rods extending downwardly from the support means, the support rods for the lower jack guide means having markings or stops for the vertical adjustment of the lower jack guide means thereon.

3. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 1, further comprising clamping elements mounted on the support means for guiding and holding the upper jack guide means in position on the support means, the clamping means being arranged to enable the upper jack guide means to be removed from, and assembled with, the unit.

4. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 1, wherein the support means comprises at least two support elements arranged side-by'side along the length of the keyboard means.

5. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 4, further comprising a longitudinally extending strut interconnecting the support elements.

6. In a harpsichord or like instrument comprising a wrest plank, keyboard means, jacks operable by the keyboard means, and upper and lower jack guide means: a mounting supporting the keyboard and jack guide means on the plank, the mounting comprising support means affixed to the plank and supporting the keyboard and jack guide means to form an operational unit of the plank, keyboard and jack guide means, and further comprising support rods downwardly extending from the support means, a support rail mounted on the support rods, and means for supporting the keyboard means on the support rail.

7. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 6, wherein the support rail is vertically adjustably mounted on the support rods.

8. in the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 6, wherein the means for supporting the keyboard means comprises mounting bracket means carried by the support rail and suspending the keyboard means thereon.

9. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 8, wherein the support rail comprises limiting stops wherebetween the mounting bracket means for the keyboard means are suspended on the support rail.

10. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 6, support rail extending the entire length of the keyboard means and parallel thereto, and the support rail being arranged for engagement by the rear ends of one set of keys to limit the pivoting movement thereof.

11. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of sets of said support rods, the support rail being mounted on one of the sets of support rods for engagement by the rear ends of one set of keys to limit the pivoting movement thereof, and another rail mounted on another set of the support rods for engagement with the rear ends of another set of keys to limit the pivoting movement thereof.

12. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 11, wherein the other rail and the lower jack guide means are mounted for vertical movement on the other set of support rods. 

1. In a harpsichord or like instrument comprising a wrest plank, keyboard means, jacks operable by the keyboard means, and upper and lower jack guide means: a mounting supporting the keyboard and jack guide means on the plank, the mounting comprising support means affixed to the plank and supporting the keyboard and jack guide means to form an operational unit of the plank, keyboard and jack guide means, and means for vertically adjustably supporting the lower jack guide means on the support means.
 2. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 1, wherein the vertical adjusting means comprising support rods extending downwardly from the support means, the support rods for the lower jack guide means having markings or stops for the vertical adjustment of the lower jack guide means thereon.
 3. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 1, further comprising clamping elements mounted on the support means for guiding and holding the upper jack guide means in position on the support means, the clamping means being arranged to enable the upper jack guide means to be removed from, and assembled with, the unit.
 4. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 1, wherein the support means comprises at least two support elements arranged side-by-side along the length of the keyboard means.
 5. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 4, further comprising a longitudinally extending strut interconnecting the support elements.
 6. In a harpsichord or like instrument comprising a wrest plank, keyboard means, jacks operable by the keyboard means, and upper and lower jack guide means: a mounting supporting the keyboard and jack guide means on the plank, the mounting comprising support means affixed to the plank and supporting the keyboard and jack guide means to form an operational unit of the plank, keyboard and jack guide means, and further comprising support rods downwardly extending from the support means, a support rail mounted on the support rods, and means for supporting the keyboard means on the support rail.
 7. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 6, wherein the support rail is vertically adjustably mounted on the support rods.
 8. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 6, wherein the means for supporting the keyboard means comprises mounting bracket means carried by the support rail and suspending the keyboard means thereon.
 9. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 8, wherein the support rail comprises limiting stops wherebetween the mounting bracket means for the keyboard means are suspended on the support rail.
 10. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 6, support rail extending the entire length of the keyboard means and parallel thereto, and the support rail being arranged for engagement by the rear ends of one set of keys to limit the pivoting movement thereof.
 11. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of sets of said support rods, the support rail being mounted on one of the sets of support rods for engagement by the rear ends of one set of keys to limit the pivoting movement thereof, and another rail mounted on another set of the support rods for engagement with the rear ends of another set of keys to limit the pivoting movement thereof.
 12. In the harpsichord or like instrument of claim 11, wherein the other rail and the lower jack guide means are mounted for vertical movement on the other set of support rods. 